196 PREPARATION AND MOUNTING 



CHAPTER VIII. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



IT must be evident to all readers that there are various 

 objects of interest to the microscopist which cannot be 

 properly placed amongst any of the forementioned classes, 

 but must not be omitted in such a guide as this professes 

 to be. Of these may be mentioned the circulation of the 

 blood in various animals, the rotary motion of the fluid 

 in many plants, the best means of taking minute pho- 

 tographs, &c. &c. 



Perhaps the most interesting of these objects is the ireu- 

 lation of the blood through the finer vessels of various parts 

 of animals used for these purposes, which parts, it is evident, 

 must be very transparent to afford a perfect view of this 

 phenomenon. The web of the frog's foot is very frequently 

 employed, but requires a certain arrangement, which we will 

 now describe. A piece of thin wood (Dr. Carpenter recom- 

 mends cork) is taken, about eight inches long and three 

 wide ; about an inch from one end is cut a hole, half or 

 three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The body of the 

 frog is then placed in a wet bag, or wrapped in wet calico, 

 whilst the hind foot projects ; the whole is then laid upon 

 the piece of wood, so that the foot, which is left free, may be 

 extended over the hole. The web must then be spread out, 

 and secured, either by loops of thread fastened to the toes 

 and attached to small pins placed around the hole in the wood, 

 or the pins may be inserted into the wood through the 

 web. A few bands of tape must be passed round the 

 body, the leg, and the wood, to prevent any disarrangement 

 arising from the struggles of the animal. Care must be 



